Friday March 16, 2018

And He fell…

The Third Station – Jesus Falls the First Time (today’s station of the cross)

Today’s station reminds us of God’s humility.  Years ago, a jesuit priest saying Mass at St. Mary Magdalen challenged us to pray the Litany of Humility, which I challenge you now to pray.  As your going through this Litany, think of Christs’ passion, the pain and suffering He endured for you.  Think of the way His people beat Him, mocked Him, spat at Him.  Christ was – IS, the perfect example of humility and as that we are called to be His heirs to the kingdom, so too must we be willing to be humble/humbled.  This is not an easy Litany for me to say because of my pride and desire to achieve just about everything this Litany asks me to let go of.  Be brave my friends, and do something great for our Lord today – let us be humble and TRUST in His ways.

Contemporary Version:

Lord Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.